Wire stitching machine



Oc 2 E. KUGLER 3,058,118

WIRE STITCHING MACHINE Filed Feb. 9, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.MANUEL [fa/(use.

ATTORNEYS.

Oct. 16, 1962 E. KUGLER 3,058,118

WIRE STITCHING MACHINE Oct. 16, 1962 E. KUGLER 3,058,118

WIRE STI'ICI-IING MACHINE Filed Feb. 9, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 NVENTCREMfl/VUEL Mus; EAP.

ATTOFQN EYS- 3,058,118 WIRE STITCHING MAC Emanuel Kugler, 296 HungryHarbor Road, Valley Stream, N.Y. Filed Feb. 9, 1960, Ser. No. 7,556 6Claims. (Cl. 1-120) This invention relates to stapling or wire stitchingmachines, and more particularly to such machines for simultaneouslymaking and fastening two staples at spaced intervals and simultaneouslysevering the fastened mat rial between the staples.

The machine is especially useful in the making of draw string bags andan embodiment of the invention intended for that specific purpose willbe herein described by way of example.

Machines are well known of the general type for feeding wire from asupply roll, cutting the wire, bending the cut lengths into staples anddriving and clinching the staples in or over material to be fastened.Heretofore, stitching machines of this type have been used to fastendraw string bag cords together, but separate cord severing means wasrequired and the two staples were not spaced as closely together asdesired.

The present invention is concerned with wire stitching mechanisms ofthis general type and an object of the invention is to provide animproved machine wherein two staples are formed and clinched over thecords with a minimum of space between the staples and cord cutting meansis incorporated in the machine as a part thereof and acts conjointlywith the staple forming and clincing means to cut the fastened cordsintermediate the staples.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the characterdescribed which may be economically made, will be durable in use andwill require a minimum of servicing.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be moreparticularly understood from the following description taken inconjunction with the drawings, in which? FIG. 1 is an elevational viewof the device looking in the direction of the feed of the strings to bejoined, with certain parts omitted for purposes of clarity;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken at line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of certain parts of FIGS. 1 and 2, showingfurther details;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the parts shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmental view, partly in section, showing further detailsof the device shown in FIG. 1, with the parts shown in differentposition of operation;

FIG. 6 is an elevational view as seen from the right of FIG. 2 with asection of the housing removed to better show certain of the details ofthe mechanism; and

FIGS. 7 and 8 are fragmentary views showing certain parts in successivestages of operation.

In the presently preferred embodiment the invention is shown for use insecuring together the strings or cords such as 153 and 154 which aredisposed in continuous lengths passing through tubular lips of adjacentspaced apart bag segments, one of which is designated 152 in FIGS. 1 and3. The strings, together with the bag segments, are fed by rollers 141and 142 (FIG. 2), the segments being supported between cord belts suchas 147 and 148 and a pair of grooved guide rollers 140' are provided tomaintain the strings in alignment as they are fed forward, preferablythe lower one of the rollers 140 being driven. The strings and segmentsare brought to rest for suitable intervals, during which the strings areto be secured together and severed, in the manner more fully describedin my copending application Serial No.

Patented Get. 16, 1962 858,659, filed December 10, 1959. The novelstitcher which I have devised is designated in general as and will nowbe described more particularly wtih reference to FIGS. 18 inclusive.

The stitcher 155 comprises a supporting frame designated in general as156 (FIGS. 1 and 2) rigidly mounted on a suitable pedestal 157. Thepedestal may, for example, be formed as a part of a subframe slidablymounted on the main frame of a draw string bag making machine, such forexample as is shown and described in my said copending application. Thestitcher also comprises an electric drive motor (not shown) and twospools (not shown) of stitching wire serving to supply wires 162 and 162(FIG. 3) to the stitcher. The drive motor and spools may be convenientlymounted on the frame 156 in the manner customary in the art. Suitableknown wire feed means, including the feed rolls 163 and 164, serves tointermittently feed increment lengths of wires simultaneously to thestitching mechanism through guide tubes 165 and 165' (FIGS. 1 and 3)which direct the wires across fixed shear blades 166 and 166' inhorizontal alignment with and across oppositely disposed bending anvils167 and 167 pivotally mounted on pins 168 and 168' (FIG. 2) fixed in theframe 156 and resiliently held inwardly by pins 169 and 169' slidablymounted in the frame 156 and urged downwardly by springs 170 and 170.Instead of using a pair of feed rollers such as 163164 to feed a singlewire, as in the prior art, I have found that by making the rollers 163164 wide enough to feed the two wires, greater uniformity of feed isprovided. Movable wire shear blades 171 and 171 (FIGS. 3 and 4) aredetachably rigidly secured to the lower ends of heads 172 and 172'respectively, which are mounted for vertical reciprocation in the frame156. The heads 172 and 172 are held in vertical alignment by a dowel pin173 and are secured together in back-to-back engagement by a screw 174,so that they may be reciprocated simultaneously as an integral unit.They are reciprocated by means of a crank pin 175 (FIGS. 2 and 3)carried on an eccentric arm 176 mounted on a gear wheel 177 driven bythe motor (not shown), through a solenoid actuated single revolutionswitch such as is well known in machines of this general character. Thesolenoid is energized in timed relation to the cords to be stitched. Theinner faces of the heads 172 and 172 (FIG. 4) are recessed as at 178 and178 to receive a cord shearing member 179 with sufiicient clearance fora sliding fit to permit movement of the shearing member with respect tothe heads 172 and 172'. The shearing member 179 is provided at its upperend with a fixed pin having oppositely projecting ends 180 and 180'which extend outwardly through elongated slots 181 and 181 provided inthe heads 172 and 172'. The outer faces of the heads 172 and 172' arerecessed inwardly extending vertically between the upper shoulders v182and 182 and lower shoulders 183 and 183'.

Hammer plates 184 and 184' are positioned within the said recesses andare provided with holes 185 and 185 within which snugly fit the pin ends180 and 180' respectively; so that the hammer plates and cord cuttingmember 179 are connected together for movement as a unit. The heads 172and 172', from the shoulders 183 and 183 downwardly to the end of theheads, are provided with T slots, such as 186 and 186', within which areslidably disposed hammer rods 187 and 187 having correspondingcross-sectional shape; the hammer rods 187 and 187 being secured totheir carrying plates by pins 188 and 188'. The carrying plates 184 and184' are shorter in length than the recessed spaces between theshoulders 182 and 183 and 182' and 183, so as to permit relativemovement limited only by the elongated slots 181 and 181. The hammerplate 184 is provided 3 with a hole 189 (FIG. 4) in which is positioneda crank pin 190 (FIGS. 2 and 3) carried on eccentric arm 191, which isdriven from the gear 177, thus serving to reciprocate not only the plate184 and its hammer 187, but also the shearing member 179 and theopposite plate 184' and its hammer 187. The lower ends of the heads 172and 172 are recessed as at 192 so as to straddle the respective anvils167 and 167; and the crosswise portion of the, T slot is in verticalalignment with the wires 162 and 162' (FIGS. 3 and 4), so that a stapleforming cavity is provided between the ends of the heads 172 and 172 andthe respective corresponding anvils 167 and 167. Anvils ,195 and 195 areprovided in vertical alignment with the hammers 187 and 187 and areprovided with recesses for clinching the staples. The anvils are carriedon a block 196 rigidly secured to a plate 197 vertically adjustablysecured to a vertical wall of the pedestal 157.

Cord Shearing The shearing of the draw string cords 153 and 154 isprovided by a movable shear edge 200 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 4) formedintegrally on the shearing member 179 for a part of its width and aguide finger 201 extends downwardly therefrom for the remaining width ofthe member 179. The shear edge 200 is aligned for movement incooperating engagement with a fixed shear edge 202 carried on a shearblock 203, mounted on the block 196 which is provided with a slot 198serving as a guide for the finger 201. An important feature of thefinger 201 is its function in facilitating the adjustable setting of theshear block 203 to assure a close contact between the shear edges 200and 202. Abutments 204 and 205 carried on a block 197 fixed to thevertical wall of the pedestal 157 are disposed on opposite sides of theanvil blocks 195 and 195' to align the cords 153 and 154 in position tobe fastened together. As an important part of my invention, means isprovided for moving the cords 153 and 154 from the side-by-siderelationship as they pass between a pair of lateral guide rollers 140(FIG. 2) to a superimposed relationship against the blocks 204 and 205,so that they are disposed in tandem arrangement for engagement bystaples, such as 206, so that when the staples are clinched they willfirmly and permanently fasten the cords together. A pair of fingers 207and 207 (FIGS. 1 and 2) are fixed to a shaft 203 which is journaled inthe block 196. The fingers are normally held in open position, as shownby solid lines (FIG. 1), by helical tension spring 210, and are moved toclosed position, as shown by broken lines, by suitable means such as thesolenoid actuator 211, which serves to move the cord to the positionshown in FIGS. 3 and 5. As will be noted in FIG. 2, the cords 153 and154 are disposed in side-by-side position between a pair of rollers 141and 142, the roller 142 being provided with a friction sleeve 143serving to assure positive engagement with the cords, and these rollers,in combination with the pair of wheels 140, serve to hold the continuouscords in alignment and in a slightly tensioned condition while they arebeing moved into superimposed position, secured together by the staplesand severed by the cord shear. The pair of guide rollers 140 and rollers141 and 142 are suitably mounted on the frame carrying the pedestal 157,such as in the manner shown and described in said copending application.

Operation The operation of the device will now be described withreference to FIGS. 1 and 2, which show the strings 153 and 154 heldunder tension between the pair of rollers 140 and the friction engagingrolls 141 and 142, and further show the strings moved in tandem positionone above the other by the fingers 207 and 207. Upon rotation of thegear 177 (FIGS. 2 and 3) the wires 162 and 162' (FIG. 3) are fed forwardequal increments of length and the interconnected heads 172 and 172' aremoved downwardly by the crank arm 176, causing the wires to be cut offbetween the fixed shear plates 166 and 166' and movable shear blades 171and 171 respectively, with the wire pieces extending transversely acrossthe bending anvils 167 and 167 in the path of and immediately engaged inthe staple forming cavities in the lower end of the bending heads 172and 172. Upon continued movement of the heads 172 and 172, the wirepieces are bent over the bending anvils to form staples such as 206; theanvils thereupon swiveling about their pivot points 168 and 168' movingthe pins 169 and 169' against the action of compression springs 170 and170. These staples as delivered from the bending anvils are instraddling alignment with the strings 153 and 154, and in said tandemrelationship, and while 50 held, the. staples are moved down (FIG. 5)and the hammer rods187 and 187 are then moved downwardly by the crankarm 191. The staples compress the strings 153 and 154 and the lowerpoints of the staples are turned in grooves provided in the clinchinganvils and 195 so as to turn the points and finally crimp them while thestrings are compressed so as to firmly secure the cords together atclosely spaced points. At this time the cutting blade 201 is moveddownwardly and, in cooperation with the shear edge 202, severs thestrings intermediate the staples 206, all of which is accomplishedduring an interval of rest of the strings and in a space betweensuccessive bag segments, which space is bridged by said strings, as moreparticularly described in said copending application.

Following the severing of the strings the parts are returned to normalposition, concluding one complete cycle of operation of the machine, andthe machine is ready to operate upon succeeding lengths of string fedinto register therewith, such as by saidbag making machine.

Because of the unique construction and arrangement of my machine, it ispossible to reduce the space between the staples to less than heretoforeobtainable in the prior art. For example, in practice I havesatisfactorily operated a machine embodying my invention in conjunctionwith a draw string bag making machine, wherein the staples such as 206are spaced apart and with the strings cut midway between the staples,the cut ends of the strings would extend only /8" beyond each staple.The space between the staples could be further reduced to about A ifdesired.

Having thus described my invention with particularity withreference tothe preferred apparatus for carrying out the same and having referred tosome possible modifications of theinvention, it will be obvious to thoseskilled in the art after understanding the invention, that other changesand modifications may be made therein without departing from the scopeof the invention, and it is my intention to cover in the appended claimssuch changes as come within the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. In apparatus of the character described the combination of means forfeeding increments of a pair of spaced wires transversely over materialto be fastened together in side-by-side relation, means forsimultaneously severing said increments to provide cut wire lengths,means for simultaneously forming said cut lengths into staples, meansfor simultaneously clinching said staples around said material in spacedrelation lengthwise thereof, and material cutting means positionedbetween said staple clinching means igld operably connected thereto andmovable thereby.

2. In apparatus of the character described the combination of means forfeeding increments of a pair of spaced wires transversely overlongitudinally extending material, a pair of L-shaped members pivotallymounted with their lower legs extending toward each other from theirpivots, and providing staple forming anvils yieldably held insubstantially horizontal alignment, a pair of wire bending heads mountedfor reciprocating vertical movement in cooperative alignment with saidanvils and adapted to receive said wires as they are bent over saidanvils, means for simultaneously cutting said wire increments, a pair ofhammers slidably disposed in said heads in alignment with said wireincrements and said anvils respectively, a cutting shear blade forsevering said longitudinally extending material and connected to saidhammers for movement therewith, and common means for moving said bendingheads and hammers and cutting shear blade.

3. In a device for simultaneously stitching material operated upon atclosely spaced points and concurrently severing said material betweensaid points, the combination of, driving head means, a housing in whichsaid driving head means is slidably disposed for reciprocation, amaterial shearing member slidably disposed in a guideway provided insaid driving head means for movement relative thereto, said shear memberhaving a shear edge extending transversely thereof and guide meansextending therebeyond, a fixed shear block disposed in operativealignment with said shear edge, a fixed guide block for said guidemeans, said shearing member having a pin fixed therein with opposed endsextending outwardly through longitudinally extended elongated slotsprovided in said driving head means on opposite sides of said guidewayto permit limited movement of said shearing member, two hammer plateslongitudinally slidably disposed in recesses provided in the outer facesof said heads respectively and in driving engagement with said pin endsto operatively connect said shearing member and hammer plates togetherfor unitary movement, hammer rods carried by said hammer platesrespectively and slidably disposed in guideways provided therein, wireshear blades secured to the lower ends of said driving headsrespectively, fixed wire shear blocks disposed in operative alignmentwith said shear blades, wire bending anvils resiliently held intransverse alignment with said shear blocks respectively and in verticalalignment with recesses in the lower ends of said driving heads, fixedclinching anvils in vertical alignment with said hammer rodsrespectively, common means for successively feeding increment lengths ofwires across the upper faces of said Wire shear blocks and across saidwire bending anvils, means for reciprocating said interconnected headsto shear off said increment lengths of wire, bend the same into stapleform and clinch said staples over said material operated upon and meansfor reciprocating said hammer plates and material shearing member out ofphase with said reciprocating heads to sever said material intermediatesaid clinched staples.

4. In a device for simultaneously stitching material operated upon atclosely spaced points and concurrently severing said stitched materialbetween said points, the combination of, a pair of driving headssecurely interconnected together in back-to-back relationship forunitary movement, a guideway in which said interconnected heads areslidably disposed for reciprocation, a shearing member longitudinallyslidably disposed between said heads for movement relative thereto, ashear block disposed in operative alignment with said shearing member,two hammer plates longitudinally slidably disposed in recesses providedin the outer faces of said heads respectively, means operativelyconnecting said shearing member and hammer plates together for unitarymovement, hammer rods carried by said hammer plates respectively andslidably disposed in guideways provided therein, wire shear bladessecured to the lower ends of said driving heads respectively, fixed wireshear blocks disposed in operative alignment with said shear blades,wire bending anvils resiliently held in transverse alignment with saidshear blocks respectively and in vertical alignment with recesses in thelower ends of said driving heads, fixed clinching anvils in verticalalignment with said hammer rods respectively, means for successivelyfeeding increment lengths of wires across the upper faces of said wireshear blocks and across said wire bending anvils, means forreciprocating said interconnected heads to shear off said incrementlengths of wire, bend the same into staple form and clinch said staplesover said material and means for reciprocating said hammer plates andmaterial shearing member out of phase with said reciprocating heads tosever said material intermediate said clinched staples.

5. In a device for simultaneously fastening together material operatedupon at closely spaced points and concurrently severing said fastenedmaterial between said points, the combination of, a pair of identicaldriving heads securely interconnected together in back-to-baclcrelationship for unitary movement, a housing in which saidinterconnected heads are slidably disposed for reciprocation, a materialshearing member longitudinally slidably disposed between said heads formovement relative thereto and provided with a shear edge, a fixed shearblock disposed in operative alignment with said shear edge, saidshearing member having a pin fixed therein with opposed ends extendingoutwardly through longitudinally extended elongated slots provided insaid driving heads to permit limited movement of said shearing memberrelative to said heads, two hammer plates longitudinally slidablydisposed in recesses provided in the outer faces of said headsrespectively and in driving engagement with said pin ends to operativelyconnect said shearing member and hammer plates together for unitarymovement, hammer rods carried by said hammer plates respectively andslidably disposed in guideways provided therein, wire shear bladesremovably secured to the lower ends of said driving heads respectively,fixed wire shear plates disposed in operative alignment with said shearblades, wire bending anvils resiliently held in transverse alignmentwith said shear plates respectively and in vertical alignment withrecesses in the lower ends of said driving heads, fixed clinching anvilsin vertical alignment with said hammer rods respectively, means forsuccessively feeding increment lengths of wire across the upper faces ofsaid wire shear plates and across said wire bending anvils, means forreciprocating said interconnected heads to shear off said incrementlengths of wire, bend the same into staple form and clinch said staplesover said material and means for reciprocating said hammer plates andmaterial shearing member out of phase with said reciprocating heads tosever said material intermediate said clinched staples.

6. In a device for simultaneously stapling material operated upon atclosely spaced points and concurrently severing said stapled materialbetween said points, the combination of, a pair of driving headssecurely interconnected together in back-to-back relationship forunitary movement, a housing in which said interconnected heads areslidably disposed for reciprocation, a material shearing member slidablydisposed between said heads for movement relative thereto, said shearmember having a shear edge extending transversely thereof for part ofits width and having a guiding finger offset from said edge andextending therebeyond, a fixed shear block disposed in operativealignment with said shear edge, a fixed guide block for said guidefinger, said shearing member having a pin fixed therein with opposedends extending outwardly through longitudinally extended elongated slotsprovided in said driving heads to permit limited movement of saidshearing member, two hammer plates longitudinally slidably disposed inrecesses provided in the outer faces of said heads respectively and indriving engagement with said pin ends to operatively connect saidshearing member and hammer plates together for unitary movement, hammerrods carried by said hammer plates respectively and slidably disposed inguideways provided therein, wire shear blades removably secured to thelower ends of said driving heads respectively, fixed wire shear blocksdisposed in operative alignment with said shear blades, wire bendinganvils resiliently held in transverse alignment with said shear blocksrespectively and in ver- 3,058,118 t 7 r 8 tical alignment with recessesin the lower ends of said said reciprocating heads to sever saidmaterial interdriving heads, fixed clinching anvils in verticalalignment mediate 'said clinched staples. with said hammer rodsrespectively, means for successively feeding increment lengths of wireacross the upper Re ere ces Cite in the file Of this patent faces ofsaid wire shear blocks and across said wire bend- 5 U D STATES PATENTSin anvils, means for reciprocating said interconnected heiads to shearofi said increment lengths of wire, bend 21 2, 1904 the same into stapleform and clinch said staples over i ig g gldaynard P i said material andmeans for reciprocating said hammer g 32 3 I h S a 1 plates and materialshearing member on of p a e W1 10 2,819,467 Marks M Jan. 1958 2,831,302Jensen Apr. 22, 1953

